The Secret of the Midi-Chlorians
by Viktor Krum
Summary: Okay, well, this was written three years ago… so the New Jedi Order is out of it… don't get too annoyed with that fact. If people are wanting more I'll post the next chapter. It's about Zekk winning a vacation to a beautiful planet…


**1**

Sweat trickled down into the corner of Zekk's eye. He bit back the pain and concentrated on The Force- the living things around him in the dense jungle on Yavin 4. He looked at his own yellow-orange Lightsaber, then at his opponent, Tenel Ka. The one armed Warrior Princess of Dathomir and Hapes. Block! He thought. She was, again, beating him. But that's why he loved challenging her. He had joined Master Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy, or _Praxeum_ as Master Skywalker liked to call it, much later than she had. But he had had Jedi training before the Praxeum; though he did regret that. He had been recruited for Brakiss's Shadow academy and become almost a full Dark Jedi. But luckily he was cared for enough, even after almost totally destroying the Jedi Academy, to be still excepted by his friends, Jaina and Jacen Solo, Lowbacca, the Wookie of Kashyyk, and Tenel Ka, the Warrior Princess.

_Block again!_ Zekk concentrated on the Force harder. _Attack!_ She blocked again, then came from the left with enough power to knock the blade from his hand. As soon the handle left Zekk's body warmth the blade turned off. Then the hum of both lightsabers was silenced.

"Better luck next time, Zekk, my friend." Tenel Ka Said Without the slightest sign of happiness that she had just beat her opponent single-handedly, literally.

"Thanks," Zekk replied, "I'll need it if I'm planning on dueling with you." Zekk walked over to where his lightsaber had flown, still glad he had lasted longer than ever against Tenel Ka. "Do you know where Jaina and Jacen are?" Zekk changed the subject of his loss.

"I believe it is time to for Jacen's pets to be fed. Jaina is probably working on the _Rock Dragon_ with Lowbacca." Tenel Ka replied, "I think I'll go help Jacen with his growing Gort, Nicta."

"Okay," Zekk replied, "I'll go see if Jaina wants to work on the Lightning Rod." They both walked through the jungle to the newly rebuilt Massasi temple.

*****

"No!" Jacen yelled, "Not in there!" Jacen ran to the cage holding a Seventeen-toed Marf-mice. He grabbed the gort just before she had unlatched the cage and let all of the newly hatched, baby, Marf-mice out. He looked at his young gort straight in the three eyes, "Not for Nictas," he said as if he were talking to a little baby. Though Nicta was only about three months old; she was already about a foot tall. Though, that's still very small compared to a full-grown female gort. They could grow to be up to 7 feet tall.

Jacen stroked Nicta's new feathers, which had more purple than in her down. If you looked around Jacen's quarters you would assume he owned some sort of young bird. There was royal blue down everywhere. He had been trying to keep the mischievous gort out of trouble lately. But, she always found a way to get out of Jacen and Jaina's Double quarters. And Jaina hadn't been very pleased with finding blue fuzz in all of her components whenever she wanted to upgrade the Lightning Rod or tinker with a computer chip.

Nicta made a high pitched purring sound, a few squawks then jumped out of Jacen's arm to sleep on her roost.

"Jacen, am I late?" Tenel Ka suddenly appeared in the doorway of Jacen's room.

"Late for what?" Jacen asked even though he knew the answer. He just liked listening to sound of her voice.

"To help with caring for your menagerie of creatures." she answered.

"Well, I fed just about everyone." Jacen replied, "I suppose you could feed the Piranha-beetles." Jacen joked.

"I was not aware that you kept such viscous animals of that sort." Tenel Ka said with the just slightest bit of confusion in her voice. "But, Oh well if that is the only-"

"No, I don't have any piranha-beetles." Jacen cut Tenel Ka off quickly, "I was only kidding around, trying to fool you, ya'know?"

"Ah, Aha!" Tenel Ka exclaimed without any of confusion in her voice this time. "And, this trick of yours most certainly did work. But that does not answer my original question, are you done?"

"Yeah. I'm done," Jacen answered, "In fact, I just put Nicta to sleep. She was just about to let the baby Marf-mice out. But I think you better keep your voice down, 'Cause if Nicta Hears you she'll get up and run to you. She likes you a lot, I think."

Tenel Ka thought about this and decided that she Knew the reason "Could it be that there is an attraction to me because of," She held out the necklace that she always wore, "This necklace I received from you made of her egg shells?"

Jacen looked at the pinkish shards of the necklace on Tenel Ka's chest and suddenly became dazed. "Yeah, maybe." He said in a far off voice.

"Jacen," Tenel Ka said, "Are you alright?"

"What?" He asked snapping back into reality, "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. But if Nicta keeps shedding like this," He gestured across the room with his hand, "not only am I gonna be knee high in blue fluff, but Jaina's probably gonna move in with you and stop speaking to me."

"Then maybe I could help clean up?" Tenel ka offered, "We could use the force."

Jacen said nothing. He just nodded his head, smiled, and started concentrating.

*****

Jaina Solo loved tinkering. She could do it all day. Just let her upgrade The _Rock Dragon_ or the _Lightning Rod_ and you would never hear her complain all day. _Now, If I connect this new capacitattor to this coolent warp, I should be able to cut the time it takes to get to light speed in half,_ She thought.

"Hey! Can I help?" a familiar voice called from behind.

Immediately Jaina felt happier than she had all day. She got out from under the Lightning Rod to make sure it was who she thought it was. And it was. "Hey Zekk!" Jaina said, "Did you beat Tenel Ka?" she knew the question was futile. She knew what kind of a challenge Tenel Ka was.

"No, not yet." He answered, "But if I keep on practicing with remotes it won't be long before I do."

"So what's up?" Jaina asked. She could tell through the force that he was waiting for something, "you're anxious."

"There was this contest I entered. And I think the odds were pretty good, though I'm not exactly sure what the prize is," Zekk Explained, "But the winner was supposed to come out today."

"Oh yeah?" Jaina said, "Well I hope you win. When is the winner announced?"

"Well about any time now I should be getting a message from someplace." He answered, "If I win, that is."

"Win What?" before either Jaina or Zekk noticed Jacen, Tenel Ka and Lowie appeared right behind Zekk. "Well, what could you win?" Jacen pursued further.

"Oh some contest I entered." Zekk replied, happy to see his other friends.

"Ah, and you are most confident I can see." Tenel Ka added.

"Well-" Zekk Began. When yet another figure stepped into view.

It was Lusa, the centaur girl and Jedi learner. "I have a message for Zekk." She said, "You can take it the comm room."

"Where's it from?" Zekk asked with a smile on his face and some idea of what it might be about.

"Some place called Naboo. You ever hear of it?" Lusa replied.


End file.
